Portland Beer Walks

If that title doesn’t make you want to read further, we probably won’t be encountering each other anytime soon, and you probably stumbled upon this blog by accident. Just like it sounds, Beers Made by Walking is a program that encourages brewmasters to make beer inspired by nature hikes and urban walks. Sometimes its edible ingredients from the hike, sometimes its atmospheric yeast strains from the forest air, you get the idea. So far, 45 breweries have produced over 55 beers, all with a distinct sense of place, that then find their way into taprooms across the Pacific Northwest and Colorado.

Fortunately, the good folks at Beers Made by Walking and the Forest Park Conservancy have to bring Beer Walks to Portland. The hikes are free, but pre-registration is required. And as you might imagine, they do tend to fill up rather quickly. Pre-registration for each event opens up one week prior to the hike, so it pays to be diligent and punctual. From the Beers Made by Walking website, the remaining hikes for Forest Park this summer are:

July 3rd / Ancient Forest Preserve

Embark on a Beer Walk through the towering trees of Forest Park Conservancy's Ancient Forest Preserve. This hike will focus on old growth forest characteristics, edible/medicinal plants, and how plants are used to make beer. Along the way, learn how wild yeast was harvested for brewing a unique beer for theBeers Made By Walking program.

The hike showcases a variety of terrain in Forest Park, from open shrub land to cool creek valleys. Part of the Beers Made by Walking Program, this hike will focus on edible/medicinal plants and their application in beer making. Hikers will join brewers from three Portland breweries as they explore summer vegetation.

This event will lead hikers along the northern end of Forest Park’s iconic Wildwood Trail. One of the more ecologically healthy areas of Forest Park, hikers will see a wide variety of edible/medicinal plants here and learn how brewers use them to make beer.